We would like your input

Dear readers,

We could use your help.

This blog has covered many topics and questions, sometimes all at the same time. And, every once in a while (hopefully more times than not) we strike a real chord—which is what we would like to do more often and with greater depth.

So this is where you come in: we'd like to hear what sort of topics you would like us to cover or questions you would have us answer. The way we see it, a conversation with you is better than a speech to you. And when it comes to health, we're in this together...searching, striving, looking for answers to questions, big and small.

Please take a few minutes to complete this survey. While we can't offer any reward, we can promise to fully appreciate and thoughtfully consider your input, in where the conversation goes from here.

Thank you for your time and for trusting us with the most important decision you make—your wellbeing.

How to Have Your “Cake” and Eat It, Too

Lori M. Noble, MD, a primary care physician at Spruce Internal Medicine, located at the new Penn Medicine Washington Square building, offers tips on how to satisfy your sweet tooth and do so in a healthy way.

Lori M. Noble, MD

For those that don’t know me, I have a bit of a sweet tooth. Ok, I'm a dessert-a-holic. But, throughout my medical training, I became more aware of the potential detriment this habit of mine could have on my health. It is estimated that diabetes affects 382 million people worldwide and the prevalence continues to increase in every country.

Among adults in the United States, the estimated overall prevalence of diabetes ranges from 5.8 to 12.9 percent. One very large, well-respected study - the community-based Framingham Heart Study- has found that the incidence of type 2 diabetes doubled from the 1970's to the 1990's. Diabetes is one of our country's leading health problems, and as I learned more, I decided I didn't want to become a statistic.

So, over the years, I've found creative ways to satisfy my craving for sweets without breaking the sugar bank. Here are some of the tasty tricks I've developed to make dessert both delicious and healthy:

• Fruit crisp/cobbler: Slice up a banana or an apple and brown it in a sauté pan that has been sprayed with some non-stick cooking spray. Sprinkle with cinnamon and put the warm fruit over ½ cup of granola. Add two tablespoons of low-fat whipped topping – delicious!
• "Ice cream": Freeze the older, brown bananas that you would normally wind up throwing out. Once frozen, grind them up in a food processor until they are smooth and creamy. You now have what tastes and looks like ice cream without the added sugar and fat! Mix in whatever you'd like – berries, some crushed graham crackers, a tablespoon of chocolate chips…the possibilities are endless!
• Oatmeal truffles: Mix one cup of instant oats with ½ cup of dried figs, dates or raisins, two tablespoons of skim milk, one tablespoon of honey and cinnamon in a food processor. Once well mixed, form into balls, roll into coconut flakes (optional) and chill in the fridge for 30 minutes.
• Bread pudding: Take two pieces of whole wheat bread (stale or fresh) and break them into small pieces, set aside. Mix ¼ cup of egg whites, two tablespoons of raisins, ½ teaspoon of salt, cinnamon to taste and one tablespoon of melted butter. Pour the mixture over the bread, transfer to an oven-safe dish and bake at 350 degrees until warm, about 15-20 minutes.

For those looking for store bought options that don't require preparation, here are two of my favorites:

• Skinny Cow: Skinny Cow ice cream sandwiches or ice cream popsicles. They typically run between 100-150 calories and are very satisfying.
• Weight Watchers muffins: Add a side of fresh fruit and you've got a high fiber, cake-like dessert.

So next time you are looking for something sweet, try one of these healthy, satisfying options that have earned high praise in my house and should do the trick in yours.

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Spring Skin Health Seminar

Penn Dermatology will be a hosting a free reception on Monday, May 19 to provide tips on how to keep your skin healthy and safe this summer.

During the Spring Skin Health Seminar, Penn Dermatology staff will give information on sunscreen, self-skin checks and topical cosmetic products. Joseph F. Sobanko, MD, Director of Dermatologic Surgery Education, will discuss the latest technology and products to help you look and feel your best. His lecture will cover cutting-edge cosmetic techniques, such as lasers for scar reduction and skin resurfacing, injectable products that require minimal downtime and innovative products that are coming out soon.

Event Details

Date: Monday, May 19
Time: 6 pm to 8 pm
Location:  Smilow Center
                for Translational Research

                3400 Civic Center Blvd
                Philadelphia, PA 19104

Hors d'oeuvres and beverages will be served. Attendees will receive a complimentary gift bag.

To RSVP or find more information, call 215.662.6534 or email Maynage.Mitchell@uphs.upenn.edu.

A Pioneer in the Use of Deep Brain Stimulation

“Our mission is to innovate, to constantly find new answers. And no one is doing that better today than the people at Penn Medicine.” - Gordon Baltuch, MD

Many people describe Gordon Baltuch, MD, Director of the Center for Functional and Restorative Neurosurgery, as a man of vision. This is not surprising, considering the fact that he’s been developing this skill since he was a boy.

“When I was a child, I was very close to my grandfather, who was a physician in a very different time and place,” Dr. Baltuch says, his eyes twinkling at the thought. “Sometimes he would go to patients’ houses. Sometimes patients would come to our house. On busy days, the living room became the waiting room. It was, at the end of the day, a very social experience.

“It was there that I first realized I could see myself going into medicine.”

Gordon Baltuch, MD

With this goal in mind, he pursued an undergraduate degree at Harvard, knowing all along what the next step in his path would be. In medical school, he gravitated at first towards neuroscience, then towards the more unknown world of neurosurgery, which just happened to be “a good fit.” The wisdom of his choice of medical specialization was confirmed by his early experience working at the Montreal Neurological Institute and Hospital in the late 1980s, where he was fortunate to be able to witness firsthand and later take part in some of the leading-edge work of the day at the intersection of neuroscience and medicine.

Then, once again, he had a vision of new and greater possibilities in his chosen field. So, in 1994, he packed his bags and headed for Europe, where Professor Alim Louis Benabid was pioneering deep brain stimulation (DBS) therapy for Parkinson's disease.

The cause of Parkinson’s disease, a degenerative disorder of the central nervous system, was at that time and is to this day unknown. The death of dopamine-generating cells in the substantia nigra part of the brain leads to the motor symptoms that traditionally characterize Parkinson’s, beginning with shaking, rigidity and other movement-related manifestations. Cognitive and behavioral problems, even dementia, are associated with advanced stages of the disease. The accumulation of rogue proteins called alpha-synucleins, combined with the lack of healthy dopamine generation and activity, causes the circuitry of the midbrain to function in abnormal electrical patterns and sometimes, in severe cases, to cease functioning at all.

Interested in reading more? 

Check out the full version of A Pioneer in the Use of Deep Brain Stimulation.

Relieve Your Stress With Mindfulness Meditation

Get a fresh start this spring by finding new balance in your work and home life with the Penn Program for Mindfulness.

The Penn Program for Mindfulness teaches how to use meditation as the primary tool for long-term stress management. Mindfulness meditation will help you manage the physical, psychological and behavioral symptoms of stress.

This highly acclaimed eight-week course will teach you a variety of meditation techniques to help cultivate relaxation, clarity and focus in your day-to-day life. You will learn to recognize your unique reactions to stress, find more effective ways to respond to stressful situations and discover how to use your own inner resources to attain greater health and well-being.

Program Details

The Penn Program for Mindfulness courses are offered in eight locations in PA and NJ. Courses will include a two-and-a-half-hour class each week, along with one full-day mindfulness retreat on Saturday, June 7. The registration deadline is April 24. Classes begin the week of April 28.

Learn more and register for the Penn Program for Mindfulness.

Center for Bloodless Medicine and Surgery Symposium

The Center for Bloodless Medicine and Surgery, a program for patients who prefer treatment or surgery without the use of blood or blood products such as red cells, white cells, platelets and plasma, will be holding a free symposium on Saturday, May 17.

This event will feature a presentation on the history of bloodless medicine from

Patricia Ford, MD

Patricia Ford, MD, Founder and Director of the Center for Bloodless Medicine and Surgery at Pennsylvania Hospital. It also will include panel discussions on what happens in the operating room, how the hospital identifies bloodless patients and when to enroll with the Center.

Event Details

Date: Saturday, May 17
Time: 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m.
Location: Zubrow Auditorium
                Pennsylvania Hospital

                800 Spruce Street
                Philadelphia, PA 19107

To register, call 800-789-PENN (7366) or email BloodlessMedicine@uphs.upenn.edu.

About the Center for Bloodless Medicine

The Center for Bloodless Medicine and Surgery at Pennsylvania Hospital incorporates advanced technology and world-class medical specialists trained in patient blood management. Founded in 1996, this national and internationally-recognized program treats more than 600 patients per year and has options in nearly every medical specialty.

Bloodless Medicine Facts

• Bloodless medicine and surgery is a safe, proven and effective method of treating patients without the use of blood or blood products such as red cells, white cells, platelets and plasma.
• Patients who choose treatments without the use of blood often experience faster healing and recovery times and lower chance of infections.
• Bloodless medicine reduces reliance and associated costs on regional and national blood supplies.

Learn more about bloodless medicine and
the Center for Bloodless Medicine and Surgery

Roasted Sweet Potatoes & Brussels Sprouts with Herbs

In this beautiful dish of sweet potatoes and brussels sprouts, two herbs were teamed together to bring out a delightful experience your taste buds will love! Rosemary and fresh basil are always favorites for many of my dishes and I especially love it in this one. The natural sweetness of the potatoes blends nicely with the brussels sprouts.

Did you know sweet potatoes are very good for keeping your skin clear, smooth and young looking?  The orange color in the potatoes comes from beta-carotene, an antioxidant that converts to vitamin A in your body and switches on DNA that is responsible for producing new skin cells and getting rid of old ones.  That is an idea I love and we can all use smooth and clear skin. Brussels sprouts, believe it or not, have unique health benefits when it comes to your DNA as well.  A recent study showed improved stability of DNA inside our white blood cells after daily consumption of brussels sprouts. The repair and protection of our DNA plays a critical role in preventing cancer and slowing aging. Also, our bodies detox system needs ample amounts of sulfur to work effectively and brussels sprouts are rich in sulfur containing nutrients. Eating these two foods 3-4 times or more weekly helps to improve your immune function, provide you with an abundance of rich nutrients, protects your DNA and helps your body to detox more effectively.

I hope you love sweet potatoes and brussels sprouts as much as I do and will choose to add them to your diet, if you don't already.  There are a few different ways to make this dish.  You can steam the vegetables slightly and then mix with some olive oil, herbs, sea salt and pepper. Then bake for a short time at 350 degrees. The other method is to peel and chop the sweet potatoes, mix with brussels sprouts, olive oil, herbs, sea salt and pepper and bake for 1 hour at 350. Both methods work great.

Many diseases and health problems start with nutritional deficiencies. To avoid these deficiencies, fill up on foods rich in vitamins and minerals (like sweet potatoes & brussels sprouts) every day and limit or eliminate foods that have no benefit to your health.

Roasted Sweet Potatoes and Brussels Sprouts with Herbs
Printable Recipe
Serves 4

2 Sweet Potatoes (peeled and chopped)
1 pound fresh or frozen brussels sprouts
1/4 - 1/2  cup fresh basil (finely chopped)
1 teaspoon dried rosemary
1-2  tablespoons olive oil
sea salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
Peel sweet potatoes and chop into cubes.  Mix with brussels sprouts, basil, rosemary, olive oil, sea salt and pepper. Place in 350 degree oven for approximately 1 hour.  Do not overcook.  As soon as the sweet potatoes are tender, remove from oven.  ENJOY good health!!